norskbokmål

Norsk bokmål is one of the two official written standards of the Norwegian language, the other being nynorsk. It is the most widely used written form in Norway, with approximately 85-90% of the population using it. Bokmål literally translates to "book language".

Its origins lie in the Danish language, which was the official language of Norway for several centuries until 1814. After Norway gained independence, a conscious effort was made to create a written Norwegian language. Bokmål developed through a process of Norwegianization of Danish, gradually incorporating Norwegian vocabulary and grammar. It was officially established as a written standard in the early 20th century.

The vocabulary of bokmål is heavily influenced by Danish, but it also includes a significant number of words of Norwegian origin. Grammatically, it is generally simpler than nynorsk. There are two main variants of bokmål: Riksmål, which is more conservative and closer to the original Danish influence, and officially sanctioned Bokmål, which has undergone more reforms to align it with Norwegian usage.

Dialectal variations in Norway are significant, and speakers of different dialects may use either bokmål or nynorsk for writing, or a personal written form. Despite the existence of nynorsk, bokmål remains dominant in most areas of public life, including education, media, and government. It is taught in schools as the primary written language for most students.